The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-03-04
Farmers Club.
PAPER READ by f. NJ. SHEPHERD, OF
owosso TOWNSHIP, AT THE BANCROFT
FARMERS INSTITUTE.

owosso TOWNSHIP, AT THE BANCROFT
FARMERS INSTITUTED
Ever since the first PAIR of farmers were
placed in the Garden of Eden il s, rs to
have been the fate of the class called Agri-
culiuralists To be The most isolated and
solitary people Of all those who pursue the
different avocations of life. The reasons
FOR this state of affairs are various, among
which, perhaps the most prominent is The
fact that their labor, their cares, their en-
ioymenls, aud in fact the whole round OF
their entire existence, is performed in com
paraiive solitude, so far as contact with
their fellow beings is concerned. While
the mechanic and the artisan, the pr"fes-
sional man and the tradesman, can pursue
his avocalion in company with his fellow
workers, or if not actually in company, at
least where he can find hims, If in company
every day ,nnd with the opportunity OF pas
sing his evenings in social converse aud In
discussing the events of the day. How is 1t
with the Farmer?
Working through the long day upon his
farm with no ocompanyuness perhaps that OF
his SON or his hired men attending TO various
matters which require his attention, in the
evening with no neighb0rs close at hand,
what chance is there for the farmer to im-
prove his mind by social intercourse with
his fellow mrn2
Another reason for the fact of the agri
cultural classes living in isolation from
each other is to be found in The extreme
seltishness and disirust with which they
regard each other Although the occupa-
tion of the Agriculturallst is one calcul'led
TO broaden and expand the mind, though
he treads heritage Of his own, Though he
breathes the purest air, beholds the 1--we
est flowers, and through nature communes
with natures God, yet it is fact that in
no othcr class of people is there to be found
SO much Of selfish disregard of each others
feelings, and such a general desire 10 be
let alone as is to be found in this class.
ton of This. Almost from the beginning
of Time the tiler of the soil has been the
slave of all other classes. Although the
class which, by the most natural of rights,
should be the one to take the lead. is il
not well known fact that they have been
kept in the background during the past
generations to such an extent that they
bave been looked upon as interiors and
mudsllls by all other classes? For instance,
did the farmer have load of produce to
sell did he get his price? did he weigh it
himself and do his own figuring? Oh, mol
He took his load to market and going TO
the buyer (who, If he happens to be busy.
took his own time to show himself and in
the meekest manner possible, aud with an
evident sinking of the heart, inquired the
price. THIS, given in the most lofty and
condescending manner, lie saw his load
weighed, whether correct or not he had no
means ofknowing, and taking what money
The buyer had given him, he went to the
merchant and grocer for his supplies; and
here we would suppose that as the buyer
did the business in the first instance he
would do the same in the second, but no,
not he. The farmer with some of the
same feelings with which he approached
the buyer, now inquiries the prices of the
different articles which he intends to pur-
chase and having them dealt out to him by
the lraiesman. who did all the figuring (and
kept all the half.pence in making change),
he went to his home congratulaling him
self upon The fact of having transacted so
much business and gone safely through
such trying ordeal. Did the lightning
rod man or the Bohemian oat swinder
wish to make good haul, who but the
farmer was his luckless victim? All these
thugs have had tendency to make the
farming community as class jealous of
each other and of everybody else, with no
desire for organization or improvement;
but each one merely treading in the path
marked out for him, and which his ances-
tors have trodden generations before him.
Anu Wullc tHlS Stdtc Vi dlldiTS Stiil eAiSJ 10
some extent,yet a great change has been
made within the past few years in the con-
dition and prospects Of the farmer. Not
only is he beginning to know and take his
proper position in the great race of life,
but is becoming acknowledged more and
more as factor in the great problems
which are being worked out in this broad
land of ours.
What has wrought this great change,
you will ask9 And the simple answer to
the question is this:
The education of the farmer through
the organization of the Grange, the Farm.
ers' Club, the Farmers Alliance, and per.
haps other organizations of similar nature,
but oil having in view the same object,
viz: that of bringing the farmer to point
where he would not only know but would
assume the duties and and responsibilities